Not all hospital negligence claims are medical in nature

Most of us have heard the term "slip and fall." While it's usually used to describe the grounds for a personal injury or liability lawsuit, it can also be used to describe an event that leads to a hospital negligence claim.

Generally speaking, slip and fall accidents most commonly occur on properties such as grocery stores, shopping malls and city sidewalks. However, slip and falls can occasionally occur on properties like hospitals and clinics. Whether a slip and fall is the result of a wet floor, an inadequately maintained sidewalk or ripped carpeting, hospitals and clinics are just as responsible for slip and falls on their property as anyone else.

Hospitals and clinics have a revolving door of sick people coming and going every day. Staff and custodial members try to limit the threat of exposure to other patients by maintaining a clean facility, and, in doing so, they may open the hospital up to liability. Disinfecting hospital surfaces with cleaner and water can leave surfaces slippery, which may result in a slip and fall accident. Patients that have slipped and fallen on the surfaces may have a hospital negligence claim if wet surfaces were not properly marked at the time of the accident.

Hospitals and clinics also have a responsibility to keep their sidewalks and walkways free of defects and clear of snow and ice. If reasonable action has not been taken by the hospital to make sure sidewalks and walkways are safe for patients and visitors, they may be subject to a negligence claim if an injury occurs. Likewise, if carpeting and stairwells are poorly maintained or unsafe, any injuries suffered as a result of this negligence may lead to a lawsuit.

Individuals that suffer an injury of this nature may benefit by working with an attorney who has experience handling cases involving negligence on behalf of hospitals and other healthcare facilities.

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